The Best Avocado Pesto

Learn how to make creamy avocado pesto in just 5 minutes. It’s perfect for pasta, veggie dip, or toast. Full of vibrant flavor and simple wholefood ingredients.

Why I Love Basil Avocado Pesto

I eat a LOT of pesto and avocado (seriously, I could write an ode to avocado toast!)- so it’s wild that it’s taken me this long to combine the two. I’ve already shared recipes for avocado chocolate cake and avocado chocolate pudding, so this is way overdue. This creamy avocado pesto is rich, creamy, and comes together in just 5 minutes with 7 simple ingredients—perfect for quick avocado pesto pasta or toast.

Unlike traditional pesto recipes loaded with oil and parmesan cheese, by making pesto with avocado, you can skip the dairy and use a tiny fraction of the oil (or omit it entirely!) without sacrificing creamy texture or flavor. This versatile, nut-free pesto also swaps expensive pine nuts for nutrient-dense hemp seeds for a pesto avocado sauce packed with good fats, fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients.

You might also enjoy my creamy kale avocado pasta sauce, Mexican avocado dressing, or green spinach pasta sauce.

The Ingredients

• Avocado: Use ripe avocados (Hass preferred) with slight give—avoid mushy ones.
• Basil: Fresh basil leaves provide a classic ‘pesto’ flavor. However, you can experiment with other fresh herbs like parsley, arugula, cilantro, etc. Use one or a blend.
• Seeds: Traditional pesto uses buttery pine nuts, but avocado adds butteriness. For pesto without pine nuts, use hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, or pepitas instead. Flavor will vary.
• Nutritional yeast: Adds cheesy, umami flavor for vegan avocado pesto.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic for bold flavor, though toasted or garlic powder work in a pinch.
• Olive oil: Use a light, fruity, extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Avocado oil also works.
• Lemon juice: (or lime juice) Fresh lemon juice is best (and a little zest if preferred).
• Sea salt & Black pepper

Recipe Variations

• Spice: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or sub olive oil for chili-infused olive oil.
• Spinach/Kale: Toss in a handful or two for extra nutrients.
• Oil-free pesto recipe with avocado: Use water or vegetable broth.

Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information.

How to Make Avocado Pesto

• Add all the ingredients to a food processor (or blender) and blend for 20-30 seconds. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.
• Taste and adjust (i.e., more garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon, etc.).

Use the avocado basil pesto immediately or store it in the fridge for later.

Storage Instructions

Basil avocado pesto oxidizes when exposed to air and turns dark. To maintain its vibrant color:

Fridge: In an airtight container or jar topped with a thin layer of olive oil or press plastic directly on the surface of the pesto, for 3-4 days.

Freeze: Freeze into small jars/an ice cube tray, topped with a layer of olive oil for up to 4 months.

Thaw/heat: Thaw at room temp or add it directly to a pan if heating (i.e., for avocado pesto pasta). Be careful- ice will pop and sizzle when first added to the pan.

How to Use Avocado Pesto Sauce

• Pasta: Make creamy avocado pesto pasta (or pasta salad) with pasta, gluten-free gnocchi, or zucchini noodles. Optionally, add to vegan mac n’ cheese or vegan alfredo for depth.
• As a spread: Spread over vegan grilled cheese sandwiches, bagels, burgers, wraps, or crostini/vegan bruschetta.
• Drizzle: Over pizza, a vegan calzone, roasted cauliflower soup, or carrot ginger soup, etc.
• Vegetables: Over roasted/grilled vegetables (like broccoli/asparagus), smashed potatoes, Hasselback potatoes, vegan mashed potatoes, etc.
• Grains: Stir the avocado basil pesto sauce into rice, bulgur, farro, couscous, quinoa, etc.
• In sauces: Mix with pasta water/broth for a quick avocado pesto pasta sauce or stir into dressings, homemade hummus, yogurt-based dips, etc.

FAQs

Can I make this without a food processor?

Sure – you could use a knife and mortar & pestle to chop, then grind the ingredients by hand. It’ll be chunkier.

Is avocado pesto a lighter option?

Yes! Traditional pesto recipes often use a lot of oil, cheese, and rich pine nuts. This version leaves out the cheese, uses just a small amount of oil, and replaces pine nuts with hemp seeds for a simple twist.

Why has my pesto gone dark?

Unfortunately, both avocado and basil are prone to darkening/browning when oxidized. It’s safe to eat, but less pretty.

To avoid darkening, blanch basil for 15 seconds, be careful not to overheat it in the food processor, and/or store the pesto properly (a thin layer of oil/plastic wrap pressed on top).

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Adjust texture: Pulse to your desired consistency – chunky, smooth, or in-between.
• For more flavor: Optionally toast the seeds (or nuts) until fragrant.
• For thinner pesto: Add a little water or broth.
• To avoid bitter pesto: Olive oil contains polyphenols that turn bitter if overworked in a food processor. To avoid this, add the olive oil last. Basil can also be bitter– a little extra salt/nutritional yeast or a pinch of sugar helps neutralize bitterness.
• To mellow garlic flavor: Use roasted garlic or soak the raw garlic in ice water for 10-15 minutes before using.

More Vegan Sauce Recipes

• Easy Lemon Pasta Sauce
• High-protein pasta sauce
• Hidden veggie pasta sauce
• Vegan Bolognese sauce
• Vegan Hollandaise sauce

If you try this nut-free avocado pesto recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in recreations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan—I love seeing them.

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